The buzz coming out of the Blue Taleh last night was intoxicating. Or was that the mai thai bartender Matt threw my way? The curved bar at the newest dining spot was rocking w/ the likes of downtown big wigs, denizens, Auditorium staff, a Dracut superintendent and a spirited crew from chlelms. Besides the great drinks, sushi chef Preecha Suksomboon, aka Mike, stole the show when he torched a plate and va-va voom the Volcano, my new fav. dish, was ready! This towering sushi sampler lit aflame imparted smoky, shrimpy delightfulness. Props to owner Steve Ramirez for insisting this celeb. dish get top billing. We started w/ gold bags (sounding vaguely obscene) i had to try them. These crisp, hot dumpling/eggroll hybrid stuffed w/ chix/shrimp/corn and h20 chest. was a great way to start. Im told the dumpling soup imparts a lemongrass kick that will knock you into a warm splendor. The sushi was clean and powerful and the pad thai, too filling to finish. On the way out one diner carped "i had better sushi last week in Naples. I give it a five."
She must not be livin' in DTL. I give this place a 10. It hits on all the right points. It may never be Michelin-rated, it doesn't have to be, The BT is a boon to struggling Kearney Sq.
What's really exciting is the space and the vibe. The lighting is low/but not too low. I couldn't help but get a NYC hit. On a Thurs. night all the action was at the bar — offset w/ high bistro tables and a nicely appointed flat screen — a good place to catch the game. The lover's nook in the big bay window seems to be the power seat. Dress well if you plan on snagging this fish tank. Opening party includes live jazz tonight and a sushi bowl on sunday. 15 Kearney Sq.

"Ain't nothin fancy mind ya, just a place where good folks go."
That's the slogan for the Village Smokehouse slated to open on Middle Street in DTL in April. Got the word yest. from a city official, so it's no longer blogger blather. Texas-style BBQ is coming to town. And in the lonely, sad, defunct former site of Evos Arts. You know, "Smiddicks." Smokehouse owner Alan Kaplan said the first floor will be one giant, 12,000 sq-ft restaurant — three times the size of his Brookline flagship. The bar will be on the side where folk club Capos resided for a spell in the early 2000s, and the rest. takes over Evos' bar, hard left. Their signature open-fire kitch. will be somewhere in the middle. Right now crews are sandblasting the bldg. back to its original glory. The second story will be a function hall, top two floors (office space i hear) hang in the ballance.
If you like reasonably priced ribs, rice and beer (yes pls) this will be your new hang. In keeping w/ the Brookline joint, VS North should be rustic/cas. Like a place you'd find in ski country. "It will feel great," he said. Whose ready?

A new homestyle rest. (along the lines of Good Thymes on Gorham St.) is set to open in a month on Cabot St. Next to Charlies (formerly the Rainbow Cafe), Secrets will serve up comforting fare. Sorry I don't have any real examples to tempt you w/ yet. Sounds more like a strip club, but these Secrets are recipes passed-down-from-your-g’ma I'm told. Still, I hope it's not too late for a name change. Mac and cheese and meatloaf will also be avail. in the neighborhood bar where M Ward has been known to hang. Kind of like the Angelina’s/Hookslide Kelly's situation.
ALSO a wine and cheese shop is slated to open soon in Kearney Sq. I know I buried the lead. Seems the owner of a certain Italian bistro (or should I say trattoria) will run the shop. Possible sights are next to Blue Taleh along the canal, or farther down Prescott St. If this shakes out, this old square could be reborn a gourmet ghetto. There’s also a cigar lounge rumored to be moving in here too. In nice weather the canal, where Sun trucks used to idle, could spark to life.

Winterfest’s soup bowl competition is upon us. For a few bucks we can sample soup from a caldron of 16 rests. in the MV, Fri. night and Sat. I've been a judge for the last few yrs. and really got to know the soups in our midst. Like a wine tasting, you can go from booth to booth savoring the flavors and pontificate w/ the artisans who made it. Last year I learned that the Gazebo Cafe ( a noteable no-show this yr.) adds chocolate into its chili. This yr. Sangrias and Hookslide Kelly's will duke it our for best chili. The Old Court's chicken and bacon corn chowder has my vote, but I've been lovin' Centro’s soups, so their sausage, apple veg entry could be a runaway winner. Cobblestones, always a renegade here (remember the pomegranate Iraq soup?) is doing Brazilian chicken and yucca soup. I like it.
This is also a chance to try newcomer Mr. Jalapeno’s Azteca soup. The Merrimack tacoria is set to open this weekend. But I would be remiss (and probably dissed) if I failed to mention the Mambo Grill. Their pumpkin soup (pix above) won first place the first yr. they entered. This yr. they tout roasted red pepper and corn chowder. Interesting combo. Would go down nicely w/ a cerveza, si?
Longtime winner Ricardo’s Cafe Trattoria will tempt w/ chicken parmesan soup. Could be good.
Boston chef and Lowell homeboy Robert Jean (of Teatro and Sorelina fame), What's Cookin' in the Mill City host Bridget Driscoll and radio shock jock Jack Baldwin from WCAP will judge.
The Masonic Temple is the place, Friday 7-9 p.m. and Saturday, 1-4 p.m.

It's the weekend where ya gonna eat? The Tango Grill, which just opened on 110 in Chelmsford, is a good bet. Formerly the Urban Cafe, this bistro has reasonable prices and good cuban sandwiches and breakfasts. I'm thinking of Keon's in Haverhill. While few where looking this quiet MV city has sprouted some fine bistros. I went here two years ago and was bowled over by how NYC-ish Keon's felt. It's a cozy, romantic spot you may want to save for V-Day, but then again it may be wise to leave the dining amateur night to the amateurs. Couples would do better to celebrate the thing called love tonight. A new discovery for me is Brookstones in Derry, N.H. A hike you say? I think it's fun to go on food safaris when time allows. The chef here cut his knife at the Bay Tower Room in BOS several years ago and specializes in upscaled (yet lower-priced) fare. Tidy winelist too. For months now I've been clamoring for a hanger steak at Buckley's Great Steaks in Merrimack. Ever since I went up there for an interview two winters ago I've filed this place away in my mental blackberry. Michael Buckley of Michael Tims and Surf is at the helm of this classic steakhouse in a country barn. Sure you can book a table in a room upstairs, but I'd put my money on the bar w/a fireplace, many beers on draught and nightly entertainment. Where are you going?

I found myself in the Burlington Mall over the weekend and things have changed here for the better. Remember when this mall was joe average? Trying to compete w/ the so-called Natick Collection (ugh) down south, the B-Mall has gone gourmet. And I'm not talking about food options. I'm talking about the low-pressure, post-modern, intimate, personalized shopping rearing its pretty head. First we went to Ruehl, made to look like an indie Greenwich Village shop that got lost and ended up in the burbs. The clothes are for a generation before me, but the exterior — wrought iron fence, brick, windows — pulls you in like the aroma of fresh-brewed coffee. Once inside couches, low-lights, a bistro/ bar area and six shopping rooms are ripe for exploration. The friendly staff hang at the entrance to welcome you like hip bellhops. Is this a boutique hotel, or a t-shirt/jean bodega? Next we hit Cole Haan, and although I really was starting to fade, gourmet guy wanted to try on shoes. Just as I'm about to pass out a kind sales person asks would we like some bottled water?Unheard of. Next thing you know we are lounging on a plush couch drinking petite bottles of Fuji and trying on eight pairs of kicks. Upon check out, salesperson disappeared into a back "kitchen" and the transaction was complete. If this is the new shopping, we have no reservations

Since it's feelin' very Seattle out there and in here, our measly mind turns to thoughts of java. Coffee, beanjuice, mud, no matter what you call it, brew it now. I recently discovered Ugly Mug Coffee from Memphis. How did I find it? It landed on my desk. Sweet Jesus, what a surprise. Not one, but two bags — a lighter blend called first cup and a heavier hardy roast — came to me by mail. Must be this kick-ass blog that caught their attention. So after a week and a half of enjoying this coffee every morning, noon and night, I am now habituated and must order by FOD, fix on demand. Seriously this Tennessian coffee is absolutely smashing. This morning I sadly had to brew Peet’s Major Dickson, on sale for $6.99 at Mbasket. But it just doesn't cut it. Like a virgin wine drinker, whose tasted grand cru for the first time, I cannot return to the average joe. This, hip, edgy co. seem to know more about advertising/marketing than coffee roasting. The web site uglymugcoffee.com is funny, but not informative if you are a coffee nerd like me. But really what do I care, just give me more Ugly Mug! They have 10 blends like saving grace, good vibes and some flavors: Cinnamon sugar cookie. I like it all. Says this stuff is avail. from texas to maine, but I haven't come across it. Anyone know where ugly mug can be nabbed in the MV? I'm thinking of opening a shop in Haverhill, would you come?

Popped into the java room yest. to take shelter from the storm. And what before my wondering eyes did appear, but Candy Liu’s coffee cocktail, the mudslide. Move over double, skim latte. This potent drink is one funky monkey. Made with chocolate and caramel sauce, French roast coffee and equal parts Kahlua and Balieys it’s a desert/coffee/nightcap in one. The java room is Chelmsford'd answer to greenwich village. They have poetry readings, live jazz (tomorrow night the legendary Paul Combs is in the house) coffee from George Howell’s Terroir co., (the saintly founder of the coffee connection) and now a wine bar. What more could a frustrated suburbanite or sanguine soccer mom want? The bar, which opened this fall is tucked into the far corner near a piano. It’s small and perfect. Bloggers bring your laptops and sip a glass of 14 Hands merlot, your boss isn’t watching. But caffeinated cocktails (like the way that rolls off the tongue), is something starbucks and DD can’t touch. JR knows how to cure the ails of february. See ya at the bar.

It began w/ such promise. Sushi 101 taught by uber chef Stan Frankenthaler, Le Creuset, OXO kitch gear, wine and cheese came next. Seems this Nashua gourmet emporium was just what we malled-out Nomasonh’s needed. But then ... they moved to ... Hudson. Hardly the bastion of cool shops, this was a cry for help/ As noted on this blog in Dec., the cramped space was a harbinger of bad things to come for the Impressive Chef. Now this: "Due to the very challenging economic conditions, NH Kitchen Shoppe will be closing on March 30th," the press release reads. But things are worse than that. I just dropped a dime on the shop and a woman who answered the phone said they will be shuttered in two weeks. Bad news, but silver lining: 20 percent off all goods. We're talking stonewall kitch. kitsch, scharfen berger chocolates, spices, you know the rub. If you can get to hudson, Route 3A, it would be worth the trip. Classes scheduled in march (I happen to be in for knife sharpening ) are still on! Is anyone else saddened by this? Economic drops are eating the gourmet gems in our midst.

Just found out that the Flaky Pastry in chelms. bit the dust. Can't say I'm surprised. I ordered sunflower cupcakes there for my wedding and frankly was not impressed. the frosting hue was way-off. Last time I checked gray is not a color associated w/ sunflowers. Did anyone like this place? Okay it was good in the beginning, but then it strayed. Why does that happen? Is this a sign of a recession or a depression? For bakeries we are pretty much lost in Lowell. There are ethnic bake shops that I have written about, but I'm talking about old-fashioned American cupcakes/cookie joints. To say nothing of bread — rustic rounds made w/ love. Where are they? I just returned from NYC and I'm happy to report that neighborhood bakeries are sprouting up like starbucks. One place in particular, Amy's Bread has moved from a hell's kitchen hole-in-the-wall in to a huge space in the Chelsea Market. Was fun to watch the bakers stretch the dough and dust the oblong shapes w/ sesame. Isn’t there an entrepreneur in a flour dusted apron just waiting to open up here?

This is beginning to feel like an obit blog. Sigh. Found out this a.m. that the Gazebo Cafe in the Textile Muse closes at the end of march. You could blame it on the frugal reporters and editors (myself included) who moved into the same building in march, but that's not what's eating owner dick barry’s bottom line. "No more functions," said the friendly proprietor. The cafe that specializes in roasted turkey, hot pastrami and hotdogs, not to mentions good soups, attracted a steady crew of LWL in its 10-year run. But the red hats cannot single-handedly save a biz. Since the museum closed (temporarily), the cafe's catering biz went down the tubes. This was one of Lowell’s hidden gems, perhaps too hidden. Guess the condo dwellers upstairs didn’t help much either. Anyone bummed by the gazebo's demise? Where are we going to grab a quick bite on the dutton/fletcher st. axis, Furey’s?

What struck me after a weekend in NYC, is how many great dogs can be found in the big A. Beyond the dirty waters pups on the street and the ever-pop Gray's Papaya, Crif Dogs on St. Marks St. was a great find. Low-key, good honest dogs ready in a jiffy was just what we needed after a footsore romp through the East Village. When I got back, I had to check in w/ the brothers behind Bad Dawgs slatted to open on Merrimack. Would, could this place at all be as cool as Crif’s? The answer is Yes. Owner James Kirste told me dogs, ordered steamed or grilled, come 35 different ways (more than Baskin and Robbins boasted). "You can get a hot dog w/ pepperoni or a buffalo with tangy sauce, blue cheese and celery," he said. Turkey/veggie dogs and draught beer are some of the highlights. That's right! Sam Adams and Bud. Also BD (formerly Mossies) will be open until 3 a.m. Thrus.-Sat. That should appease the nightowls tired of the schlepp to Santorias Pizza. Crews are now gutting the space and putting in hardwood floors and painting it orange and blue. Sounds like a basketball team. but cheerful just the same. Orange is the hot color in marketing right now. Bad Dawgs is opening in mid-March. This is something to bark about!

A trip into A-town today revealed a few morels on the gourmet trail. Not one, but two new culinary establishments are in the works for this downtown that sorely needs them. Come March 8 Serene takes over Vincenzo's on Main Street. Dubbed Italian/American, this second-story space above starbucks, has legs. Owner Sally Fabian, a former Hewlett Packard database engineer, took a buy out to cash in on her dream. How bold and beautiful! Stopping short of calling this a wine bar, she assured me vino will be prominently featured. Climate-controlled wine cabinets will be front and center along w/ a waterfall (points for viva la difference). In the kitch Chef Carlos from Bonfire, a Todd English joint, presides. Fabian was simply gushing over this coup. I know I've dissed English in posts of past, but I do love Bonfire's tacos. On Sundays a jazz brunch will hold sway and a local group of musicians play weekends. This is the right idea for this affluent town that has been lacking ample places for denizens to spread their green when the sun goes down. On my way back to the hood I noticed a sign for Boston King Cafe, near the new Butler Bank. Instincts (and a pic of a gooey choc. cake) tells me this dessert/cafe will be like Finale in Bos/Cam, a great place to indulge post dins or whenever the mood strikes. Their Web site boasts froyo! I for one am in.

Can you dig it? I pulled this pic off the Boston King Cafe site because it makes me think spring. It may be snowing out, but wouldn't this taste treat hit the spot? Cafe owner Paul Son is an Andover resident via South Korea. There is a Boston King in Woburn, which does quite well. Tea imported from Japan, espresso, breakfast, lunch and healthy dins like killer salads are all part of this fare. But fatfree froyo in straw, blue and boysen berry with fresh fruit will be worth the trip. Sounds like a touch of California in tweeded-up Andover. Maybe this town is ready to exhale.
Set to open in mid-March, this is the kind of casual take-out joint that every town needs.

It's been in the works for five years, but it looks like in early 2009 the Athenian Corner will finally be on a corner. The 34 year-old Greek rest. on Market Street
in DTL is expanding into its parking lot along shattuck st. This will double the rest.’s space and bring this old-school haunt into the brave new world. There will be a horseshoe bar serving late night tapas and a beefed up menu w/ more fish. "We're jazzing it up a bit w/ traditional favorites. There are nice new recipes we came across," said owner's son Teddy Panos. Construction begins this summer (if the Planning Board gives a green light). Seems most new rests. are adding late-night bites. I like it. So often we don't get it together early enough to grab a meal out before 10. Perfect for latecomers and Euros who dine after-hours. Seems to be more of the later here lately, sparking the dining scene's next wave. The expansion will also add a new visaul dimension downtown, which will be good eyecandy. Loved for its cozy atmosphere, the AC could loose something by going big, but let’s face it, this dankery needs an upgrade. This should give the Olympia/Zorba Room a run for its money. Of course ambiance only goes so far. In the battle of the Greek kebobs, whose got the best?

You might be dining out tonight. You might be saving your hard-earned gourmet gilder for next week's Portsmouth Restaurant Week. A few of you have mentioned great eats in Lowell's sister city by the sea, and next Sunday, March 2- March 9th is prob. the best time to take a tasting trip. The prix fixe fiesta features $26.95 three-course meals at Black Trumpet Bistro, Dolphin Striker, The Page, Pesce Blue, The Portsmouth Gas Light, Radicci, Rudi’s and Sheraton Harborside. Full disclosure: gourmet gal has not stuck a fork into any of these fine establishments, but wood-fired za heaven Gas Light came reccomended by a GG reader recently as something Lowell sorely needs. When I drop anchor in the Port City, I usually end up at the Stockpot or the Press Room (great cozy bar), but I know these places are top-knotch — Dolphin Striker also has a lively music scene. I might go under the guise of a scouting trip for Lowell Restaurant Week, which btw I have not heard a peep about. Frugal foodies should go early, lunch that week is $16.95.
drinkwaterproductions

By this weekend things should start to get hot in here. If all goes well w/ those pesky health/bldg. inspections, Mr. Jalapeno, the newest hot head in town, will fling open his doors on Saturday. Every time I talk to owner Ricardo, I get a good feeling. Seems the process has dragged (when doesn’t it around here?) and he has had to add an emergency exit, which derailed his Winterfest opening plans. Anyway, he is optimistic this weekend will mean chili rellenos, enchiladas and cerviche on Merrimack St. A chef from Mexico is here waiting to train his chef/staff. There’s authentic and there’s “authentic,” this sounds real to me. The proof will be in the pico de gallo, but I like how this feels. Also in a change from the last time we spoke, he said corn tortillas have been added to the menu. So you can choose between flour and corn made in house. Nice. The atmosphere, sunny walls, tile, obligatory sun-themed pottery — imparts some needed cheer on the dark side of Merrimack St.

It's not a typo. Today, Tuesday February 26, Dunkin' Donuts is doing the unthinkable and offering lattes, both iced and hot, for 99 cents from 1 to 10 p. The reason? Most Starbucks are powering down from 5 to 830p to train baristas to make espresso. Weird, I thought they already knew how. You mean I've been forking over $4 for inferior mochacinnos? This is a good move by Canton-based DD and shows these two bean houses are out for blood. Our gain. Happy caffeine holiday everyone! See ya at the driv-thru.

We hear The Coffee Mill on Palmer Street in DTL is expanding into the Enterprise Bank space next-door. This will double their street frontage, as they lose the room in the back. They never did much with that warren anyway. It could have been a chill place to write, send emails, read this blog. but it remained a dingy space furnished w/ hard-back chairs. Ouch! Plans call for bistro tables and an increased area to lounge and sip the most economical cup in town. Big credit to owner Pattie who bought this biz from Lisa Genaway a few years ago and has kept the momentum going. She brightened up the joint w/ new hardwood and sunny walls. Not sure if this means more food items, right now Boston Chowda soup flies out the door at lunch. Is the C-Mill poised to take on Brew’d? What about Aiello, whose Zoka beans are so top-shelve they are practically cost prohibitive, but worth the credit-killing splurge. In the battle of the bean, who wins?

Sick of odwalla? Had it w/ smoothies? How about a banana and cardamom Dahlicious? New frothy Indian drink from a Babson grad who lives in Tewksbury seems to be taking Whole Foods by storm. The health drink, made w/ gourmet yogurt, comes in five flavors — mango is the most popular. Okay, I don't know how much it costs, but the Whole Foods label gives you an idea. I'm meeting w/ the ceo on Friday and will report back. I assume they are a pretty penny because the fruit comes with a story, and the drinks are made in a top organic dairy barn in upper state NY. I for one am beginning to realize you gotta pay extra if you're gonna feel good. Notice how sugar-filled the "smoothies" sold in Asian markets are around here? And really what could be more important than what we ingest? Has anyone tried Dahlicious? Could be the Rockstar equivalent for those of us more likely to hit the gym than the mosh pit. Check Life Alive, they may carry it soon.
THE RESULT: I sipped a Mango-go for an eye opener this a.m. Easy on the stomach, its a good precursor to the harshness of black coffee in bed. I like this flavor a lot. A cross between a smoothie/yogurt drink, lassi (as the drink is called in India) is a nice change from other health drinks I've sipped. The banana and cardamon was good too. But my money's on mango. As a pro-biotic, the live cultures help the digestive track sing.

Noticed a new packy next to Trader Joe's in Tyngs. last night. The Liquor Shop. Whilst I did not go in, it looks pretty thorough. Wines, beers, all manner of spirits. Because, sadly, this TJ's does not carry wine (has anyone been to the Brookline joes? the selection is staggering) moving directly next to TJ's is v. smart. You can grab frozen risotto and a rhone in a jiffy. Beats dealing w/ the NH state store on the Danny Web. Has anyone shopped here? The upper-scaled Wine Society that used to occupy the last store in this mini-strip never seemed to catch fire. Every time I went in (which wasn't often) it was too quiet, dead energy, not conducive to getting your shop on. Don't like to select wine in a monastery. The Society moved down Middlesex next to Bella Italiano and still I have not been in there, but I hear it's way better. Yet, why were they closed before 9 p.m. last night? This Tyngs. thoroughfare could use a pickmeup, what with Shanahan's wine/jazz bar, former Matthew's skin club, shuttered. A lonely sight indeed. What would work here, a flatbred pizza co.?